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Hut Trip

The hut trip slots into a normal BV week as a bit of extra optional red-neck adventuring. The hut in question sits at 2000m in the Beaufortain mountains, just to the north of BikeVillage. These peaks are remote – no lifts, no ski resorts and no mobile reception. We love it! There's a smidge more fireroad than we usually plan but it's a tiny price to pay for such a genuinely back country experience. The general plan for a hut trip runs like this:

Day 1: Leave Bikevillage early in the morning. First we head for the Cormet de Roseland. Depending on group sadism levels, we can use some van help, pedal up ourselves (a Cat 1 Tour de France climb!) or even climb off road and descend some sweet singletrack down onto the road climb before doing that. It might be tarmac but it is unbelievably beautiful up there, with clear views through to the glaciers of the Mont Blanc Massif.

From the Cormet we pick up some flowing, rolling (cows permitting!) singletrack that traverses for an hour or so then risies gently(ish) through the Beaufortain, under the shadow of the incredible Pierra Menta peak. As we get towards our second challenge of the day – the climb up to the Col de Coin, you might well sh*t yourself – it looks ridiculous! It's not really that bad however, just a touch old school inasmuch as we have to shoulder our way up it. Well there's no adventure without a little hardship! The top of the Col is true comedy – it's only just long enough to fit your bike on to line up for the nadgery wee trail off the top. This drops 400 vetical metres to the refuge and our welcome stopping point for the night.

The guardian at the refuge will cook us dinner, which we'll wash down with plenty wine, whisky, card games and low level banter. Then it's off to bed in the loft bunk room to get some kip for the next day...

Day 2: With brekkie in our bellies and a packed lunch in our bags, it's a wee climb to warm up and get us to the start of a high alpine gem called Little Cheese. Starting with some swoopy meadow singletrack, it then kicks up a surprise by turning all nadgery on us – perfect! This sets the flavour for the day – a real mix of the smooth and the nadge with a mainly descending cash-in of the climbing chips we laid down on day 1. By the end of the day we return to BikeVillage older, maybe wiser and definitely smellier than when we left!

Details: We usually need 4-6 people (and a few weeks notice) to go for it so get in touch if it appeals and we'll get the refuge booked. Cost for the Hut Trip is €60 extra, just to cover the refuge fees. The refuge has blankets and a shower (or the trough outside!) so we can take minimal kit as follows:

• usual tools and waterproofs for a day ride

• sleeping bag liner (silk ones are smallest) + camp towel

• spare shorts + top for day 2 or just some chammy cream if you're hard...

• a hip flask full of goodness

• some spare food (we'll supply this) to augment the refuge's packed lunch

• camera, sun cream, toothbrush and soap

This should all fit pretty easily into a 30 litre day pack – try a dry run at home to make sure your bag is okay for the job.

e-mail us on info@bikevillage.co.uk or call/fax us on 0033 479 07 54 88